Vande Mataram, Vande Mataram!!! As India celebrates its 80th Independence Day, we proudly remember the sacrifices of millions of freedom fighters who fought against British rule and dreamed of a free, self-reliant and dignified India. From the Revolt of 1857 to the Non-Cooperation Movement, Salt Satyagraha and Quit India Movement, the journey to freedom was built on courage, sacrifice and patriotism. Odisha too made an unforgettable contribution to this struggle, with places like Eram, remembered as the ‘Jallianwala Bagh of Odisha,’ standing in Bhadrak district as a powerful symbol of Odisha’s sacrifice in India’s freedom struggle.
But after 79 years of Independence, one question deserves a serious reflection — Are India’s farmers truly free? It’s a thought that strikes every Indian mind.
In the words of former US President Abraham Lincoln, democracy is of the people, for the people and by the people. In the words of Greek philosopher Pluto, democracy is the best clean and pure people-oriented governance. But looking at the current situation, it is quite understandable that these systems are now completely corrupted. In a democracy, leaders must be idealists with ideals, patriots and selfless Gandhian consciousness. Political freedom gave us the right to govern ourselves. But for the farmer, freedom means much more.
The Indian farmer feeds more than a billion people, yet the person who produces our food often receives the smallest share of the value created from it. Farmers face rising costs of seeds, fertilisers, labour, electricity and machinery, while the prices they receive for their produce remain uncertain. Weather extremes, pests, market fluctuations and inadequate storage further increase their vulnerability.
A nation cannot claim complete prosperity when its food producers continue to struggle for a dignified livelihood.
Why Atmanirbhar Bharat
I’m writing the piece to provide an ideal example for all the entrepreneurial minds. This is where Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), cooperatives and farmer-led enterprises can play a transformative role. When farmers come together, they can aggregate their produce, undertake processing, develop their own brands and reach consumers directly. A farmer producing sugarcane can become a producer of branded jaggery; a millet grower can become part of a value-added food enterprise; a turmeric farmer can move from selling raw produce to selling a processed and branded product. This is the true freedom for farmers when a farmer can build his own brand, his own enterprise, his own company.
India’s freedom movement taught us the importance of Swadeshi and self-reliance. Hon’ble PM always says ‘back to basics’, ‘vocal for local’, ‘atmanirbhar Bharat’, etc. Today, the same spirit can be renewed through local production, local processing, local branding and local consumption with the same dedication from our real food scientists — our farmers.
The next phase of India’s development must therefore place the farmer at the centre of the growth story.
A developed India cannot be built only with modern cities, industries and technology. It must also be built with healthy soil, vikshit villages with Vikshit Bharat.
Commitment on 80th Independence Day
On this 80th Independence Day, let us remember that the freedom struggle did not end merely with the lowering of one flag and the raising of another. Freedom must continuously reach every section of society. For India’s farmers, the unfinished freedom struggle is the struggle for dignity, fair income, economic independence and a secure future. We must focus on One District, One Product, Swadeshi, Indigenous technology, Natural and Organic Farming etc. for the betterment of our farmers.
Let us build an India where the farmer does not merely survive, but prospers as well.
The true meaning of Independence will be fulfilled when the hands that feed the nation are themselves free from economic insecurity.
Jai Hind. Jai Kisan.
